How Much do Babys Cost?
08 March 2003, 12:17 PM
#1
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just over three months since the original post & i am about 15weeks away from the big event 
since then i have sold a number of different cars as i wasnt sure if any of them would be right for fatherhood, the list goes, BMW 730 - 5DR Turbo Wagon - E30 M3 &now i have no car as i am not sure what to get next, but do have a budget of about £13k, even though the missus states that i shouldnt spend it all on a car! I have sold the flat where we live & we are at the moment going through the joys of solicitors & surveys so good bye trendy 2 bed flat with balcony & hello 1930's 3 bed semi, this one has infact got a driveway & a garage, it has taken 2 lost houses & 2 lots of surveys to get to this stage, we went out & spent a large amount on mamas & papas - travel system - cot - changer - wardrobe. not cheap but very nice, + been to every doctors appt scan & midwife appt too, even with a few visits to the UCH due to a couple of minor concerns, & many hours at Barnet General too, still smiling & can now feel my son/daughter kicking & punching her stomach. bless, by the way seen a nice silver classic a few times at barnet general with scoobynet stickers in the back window? anyone?
[Edited by met - 8/3/2003 12:19:23 PM]
since then i have sold a number of different cars as i wasnt sure if any of them would be right for fatherhood, the list goes, BMW 730 - 5DR Turbo Wagon - E30 M3 &now i have no car as i am not sure what to get next, but do have a budget of about £13k, even though the missus states that i shouldnt spend it all on a car! I have sold the flat where we live & we are at the moment going through the joys of solicitors & surveys so good bye trendy 2 bed flat with balcony & hello 1930's 3 bed semi, this one has infact got a driveway & a garage, it has taken 2 lost houses & 2 lots of surveys to get to this stage, we went out & spent a large amount on mamas & papas - travel system - cot - changer - wardrobe. not cheap but very nice, + been to every doctors appt scan & midwife appt too, even with a few visits to the UCH due to a couple of minor concerns, & many hours at Barnet General too, still smiling & can now feel my son/daughter kicking & punching her stomach. bless, by the way seen a nice silver classic a few times at barnet general with scoobynet stickers in the back window? anyone?[Edited by met - 8/3/2003 12:19:23 PM]
24 April 2003, 01:57 PM
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This is indeed a serious question, the most expensive thing ive ever run is the scoob, my missus & i are planning to have kids & got involved in a how much do they cost to run scenario,food, nappies,toys healthcare, calculators & note pads were involved, what could we cut back on etc even had a bit of practice after 
any opinions do they get cheaper yr 1 yr 2 etc? if she gave up work is there any benefits to be claimed etc cheers
[Edited by met - 4/24/2003 1:59:04 PM]
any opinions do they get cheaper yr 1 yr 2 etc? if she gave up work is there any benefits to be claimed etc cheers[Edited by met - 4/24/2003 1:59:04 PM]
24 April 2003, 02:03 PM
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Do they get cheaper?...... huh no they don't, we have three ranging between 18 and 8 and I can tell you the 18 yr old costs as much, if not more than he did when he was a baby.
But they are well worth having, you cannot put a price on first smiles, first steps etc, just hope twins don't run in your families!
But they are well worth having, you cannot put a price on first smiles, first steps etc, just hope twins don't run in your families!
24 April 2003, 02:03 PM
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yep already spoken to the bloke down camden wouldnt haggle, i'll best start saving for the divorce too then :0, 2 sets of 1st cousins are twins, my gran was a twin too. ****
[Edited by met - 4/24/2003 2:04:37 PM]
[Edited by met - 4/24/2003 2:04:37 PM]
24 April 2003, 02:05 PM
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They're expensive when you ahve to nuy all the initial kit - you're looking at a couple of grand, cos your missus will want to get decent kit, and budgets will be thrown to the wind. Cars seats, prams, cots, clothes, bath, towels, bottles, steriliser etc etc it all adds up.
The real cost is childcare if your missus keeps working - we pay £500 per month in the South East for 3 days a week, esp bearing in mind your joint income drops.
You get child benefit at about £65 per month, and if your jont income is under £50k you qualify for child's tax credits apparently.
The real cost is childcare if your missus keeps working - we pay £500 per month in the South East for 3 days a week, esp bearing in mind your joint income drops.
You get child benefit at about £65 per month, and if your jont income is under £50k you qualify for child's tax credits apparently.
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24 April 2003, 02:13 PM
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My daughter will be 18 in July and for a laugh at Xmas my ex wife and I worked out how much she had cost us as a gag for her party. It went something like this:
Food 18 x £ 1,040
Electricity 18 x £ 260
Gas 18 x £ 260
Water 18 x £ 130
Council Tax 18 x £ 65
Transportation 18 x £ 520
Holidays & School Trips 18 x £ 650
Clothing 18 x £ 1,040
Sundry Products 18 x £ 1,040
Total £90,090
Obviously the amount wa linearised over the period based on a sliding scale derived from the cost of living index.
In return 18 x £ 0
Therefor she owes us £90,090
Simple
Food 18 x £ 1,040
Electricity 18 x £ 260
Gas 18 x £ 260
Water 18 x £ 130
Council Tax 18 x £ 65
Transportation 18 x £ 520
Holidays & School Trips 18 x £ 650
Clothing 18 x £ 1,040
Sundry Products 18 x £ 1,040
Total £90,090
Obviously the amount wa linearised over the period based on a sliding scale derived from the cost of living index.
In return 18 x £ 0
Therefor she owes us £90,090
Simple
joy
24 April 2003, 02:20 PM
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My partner and I have been discussing the same thing. I have a 5 year old from my previous marriage and I know that even though they cost a fortune, they are well worth it! When I say cost a fortune, I mean that the first usually costs more!! Everything has to be new and matching, you buy stuff that you will probably never use, clothes that they will never get round to wearing etc, just because you are new to it!! This time I'm gonng go with the bare essentials where baby equipment is concerned and get second hand/borrow baby clothes etc from friends.
Like I said to him, yes, they cost but you adjust your lifestyle accordingly! We sold our scoob and bought a house in preperation to add to our family! We had a real problem deciding to get rid of the car but it's prob the best thing we did. We are at least £500 a month better off!!
Thing to remember with babies is that they cost as much as you are willing to spend on them!! My son never goes without but I don't overspend on him. Just how I am. You may have a different view!
Like I said to him, yes, they cost but you adjust your lifestyle accordingly! We sold our scoob and bought a house in preperation to add to our family! We had a real problem deciding to get rid of the car but it's prob the best thing we did. We are at least £500 a month better off!!
Thing to remember with babies is that they cost as much as you are willing to spend on them!! My son never goes without but I don't overspend on him. Just how I am. You may have a different view!
24 April 2003, 02:26 PM
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Friend of mine used to work in the department drawing up big public contracts, including the financial breakdown. When his wife got pregnant, they drew up a vaguely accurate financial breakdown of having a child. This included university fees, wedding etc.
It came to about quarter of a million euros
.
Later, I reminded another friend about it (who had been involved in the joke and now has two little daughters). He said matter-of-factly "if you try to wait until you think you can afford them, you will never have them."
It came to about quarter of a million euros
.Later, I reminded another friend about it (who had been involved in the joke and now has two little daughters). He said matter-of-factly "if you try to wait until you think you can afford them, you will never have them."
24 April 2003, 02:31 PM
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Personally, I think kids cost as much or as little as you want them to. (I have two, and expecting our third end of July )
Time for this again I think:
_____________________________________________
I have seen repeatedly the breakdown of the cost of raising a child, but this is the first time I have seen the rewards listed this way. It's nice, really nice!!
The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child
from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140 for a middle income family. Talk
about sticker shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition. For those with
kids, that figure leads to wild fantasies about all the money we could
have banked if not for (insert your child's name
here).
For others, that number might confirm the decision to
remain childless.
But
$160,140 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into
$8,896.66 a year, $741.38 a month, or $171.08 a week. That's a mere $24.44 a day!
Just over a dollar an hour. Still, you might think the best financial advice says don't have children if you want to be "rich". It is just the opposite.
What do your get for your
$160,140?
Naming rights. First, middle, and last! Glimpses of God every day.
Giggles under the covers every night. More love than your heart can hold.
Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs. Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds,and warm cookies. A hand to hold, usually covered with jam.
A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites, building sandcastles, and skipping down the sidewalk in the pouring rain. Someone to laugh yourself silly with no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.
For $160,140, you never have to grow up. You get to finger-paint, carve pumpkins, play hide-and-seek,catch lightning bugs, and never stop believing in Santa Claus. You have an excuse
to keep: reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh, watching Saturday morning cartoons, going to Disney movies, and wishing on stars.
You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under
refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for
Father's Day.
For $160,140, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a
hero just for retrieving a frisbee off the garage roof, taking the training
wheels off the bike, removing a splinter, filling the wading pool, coaxing a wad of
gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always
gets treated to ice cream regardless.
You get a front row seat to history to witness the first step,first word, first bra, first date, and first time behind the wheel.
You get to be immortal.
You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, long list of limbs in your obituary called
grandchildren.
You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal
justice, communications,and human sexuality that no college can match. In the eyes of a child,
you rank right up there with God.
You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them
forever,and love them without limits, so one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost.
____________________________________
IC
)Time for this again I think:
_____________________________________________
I have seen repeatedly the breakdown of the cost of raising a child, but this is the first time I have seen the rewards listed this way. It's nice, really nice!!
The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child
from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140 for a middle income family. Talk
about sticker shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition. For those with
kids, that figure leads to wild fantasies about all the money we could
have banked if not for (insert your child's name
here).
For others, that number might confirm the decision to
remain childless.
But
$160,140 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into
$8,896.66 a year, $741.38 a month, or $171.08 a week. That's a mere $24.44 a day!
Just over a dollar an hour. Still, you might think the best financial advice says don't have children if you want to be "rich". It is just the opposite.
What do your get for your
$160,140?
Naming rights. First, middle, and last! Glimpses of God every day.
Giggles under the covers every night. More love than your heart can hold.
Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs. Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds,and warm cookies. A hand to hold, usually covered with jam.
A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites, building sandcastles, and skipping down the sidewalk in the pouring rain. Someone to laugh yourself silly with no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.
For $160,140, you never have to grow up. You get to finger-paint, carve pumpkins, play hide-and-seek,catch lightning bugs, and never stop believing in Santa Claus. You have an excuse
to keep: reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh, watching Saturday morning cartoons, going to Disney movies, and wishing on stars.
You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under
refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for
Father's Day.
For $160,140, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a
hero just for retrieving a frisbee off the garage roof, taking the training
wheels off the bike, removing a splinter, filling the wading pool, coaxing a wad of
gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always
gets treated to ice cream regardless.
You get a front row seat to history to witness the first step,first word, first bra, first date, and first time behind the wheel.
You get to be immortal.
You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, long list of limbs in your obituary called
grandchildren.
You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal
justice, communications,and human sexuality that no college can match. In the eyes of a child,
you rank right up there with God.
You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them
forever,and love them without limits, so one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost.
____________________________________
IC
24 April 2003, 02:37 PM
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My partner wants to plan ahead for our baby and apart from deciding from what month you want to start trying, I don't see any benefit! It's true, if you wait till you can afford it, you will never have one, simple as that! My partner finds this concept hard to grasp (sounds like i'm pressuring him but i'm not!!), just even if you plan ahead, something is likely to happen that you weren't expecting so my motto is just to go with it!!
my fiance is actually pregnant, we found out last weekend. any one for a nicely modded wrx?
24 April 2003, 02:51 PM
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He he! Sorry Brendan!
Congratulations met! Things will be great...... Sleepless nights, pooey nappies, vomit!!!!!
and before all that....... hormaonal girlfriend!!!Seriously, I really hope everything goes ok for you both! Good luck !!
[Edited by red_dog104 - 4/24/2003 2:53:35 PM]
24 April 2003, 02:53 PM
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You don't have to run something slow when you have kids, just something bigger!
Hot hatches soon disappeared, had to buy an estate.
(222bhp, 4wd, of course it's sensible dear!)
[Edited by ianc - 4/24/2003 2:54:22 PM]
Hot hatches soon disappeared, had to buy an estate.
(222bhp, 4wd, of course it's sensible dear!)
[Edited by ianc - 4/24/2003 2:54:22 PM]
24 April 2003, 02:56 PM
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If you make an objective assessment, you'll never have kids.
Babies cost a fortune. More than a matching pair of Ferraris. The mother has to take months off work, having vomited continuously for as long as you can remember. Then one or other of you will either have to stop work or pay another fortune for day care (out of already taxed income). This lasts at least until the youngest is at school when one of you might get back to civilisation and part-time work (your career in tatters) but then there's school holidays. What sadistic ba5tard invented them?!
Kids will take over your whole life, house and car/s (you'll need a 5-door Focus). Sex? What sex? But that's okay because you will be permanently knackered and smelly, but that's okay too because you won't have any social life. Holidays are non-existant. Or hell.
It gets worse, but I'll save you the gory details. You don't want to hear about teething, nappy-rash, chicken pox, or the other 101 unpleasant and infectious deseases that dribble from every orifice. And then there's the constant screaming, screaming, SCREAMING. Oh, and sick all over the remote control. Porridge and **** everywhere else.
But there are upsides, like the out-laws have suddendly become very important to you and some hideous eighties drama like Quincy or Ironside has suddenly become the highlight of your day. I can't think of any others right now but there must be some because as soon as you can see light at the end of the tunnel you'll then go and do it all over again! All for a ****. And that light you saw was actually an on-coming train. Who'd be a man. And SHE gets all the sympathy. Life's a bitch etc etc.
Take a tip - do your bit for mankind then have the snip fast, before she gets all broody again.
Richard.
PS. BTW, a mate told me all this. My kids were/are perfect angels and always an absolute delight. Honest
Babies cost a fortune. More than a matching pair of Ferraris. The mother has to take months off work, having vomited continuously for as long as you can remember. Then one or other of you will either have to stop work or pay another fortune for day care (out of already taxed income). This lasts at least until the youngest is at school when one of you might get back to civilisation and part-time work (your career in tatters) but then there's school holidays. What sadistic ba5tard invented them?!
Kids will take over your whole life, house and car/s (you'll need a 5-door Focus). Sex? What sex? But that's okay because you will be permanently knackered and smelly, but that's okay too because you won't have any social life. Holidays are non-existant. Or hell.
It gets worse, but I'll save you the gory details. You don't want to hear about teething, nappy-rash, chicken pox, or the other 101 unpleasant and infectious deseases that dribble from every orifice. And then there's the constant screaming, screaming, SCREAMING. Oh, and sick all over the remote control. Porridge and **** everywhere else.
But there are upsides, like the out-laws have suddendly become very important to you and some hideous eighties drama like Quincy or Ironside has suddenly become the highlight of your day. I can't think of any others right now but there must be some because as soon as you can see light at the end of the tunnel you'll then go and do it all over again! All for a ****. And that light you saw was actually an on-coming train. Who'd be a man. And SHE gets all the sympathy. Life's a bitch etc etc.
Take a tip - do your bit for mankind then have the snip fast, before she gets all broody again.
Richard.
PS. BTW, a mate told me all this. My kids were/are perfect angels and always an absolute delight. Honest
24 April 2003, 02:59 PM
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well working in IT doesnt really provide me the regular income needed to run the scob + she cant drive it, i feel a 5 door mk4 golf coming, sad innit having a baby & i'm already looking through autotrader for a baby friendly car for the missus, my scoob sits in the garage all day doing nothing so its got to go at some point in the nr future. well less then 7months anyway
24 April 2003, 03:14 PM
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Met,
Have you got many friends/relatives with young children? As a (relatively) inexperienced father (2 month old daughter) I kid you not when I tell you my expense so far is under £100, yes you read that right, everything we needed new (push chair, crib, car seat and even stuff for the nursery etc) was bought for us, clothes were bought as gifts from friends, baby grows and sleep suits (and a cot) were handed down, my girlfriend breast feeds her so the only thing I have bought is a couple of dummies, some nappies and a sleep suit. Yes consumables like wipes and nappies you cannot get away from, everything else you spend as much as *YOU* need.
My girlfriend goes back to work in 8 weeks time, 3 days a week and we have found a nursery around the corner, the government will give you 70% of child care costs (upto max £135 per week) and get those tax credit application forms in as well, it is means tested but you maybe surprised that even on reasonable salaries you are still entitled to some money.
Good luck mate
Gary
Have you got many friends/relatives with young children? As a (relatively) inexperienced father (2 month old daughter) I kid you not when I tell you my expense so far is under £100, yes you read that right, everything we needed new (push chair, crib, car seat and even stuff for the nursery etc) was bought for us, clothes were bought as gifts from friends, baby grows and sleep suits (and a cot) were handed down, my girlfriend breast feeds her so the only thing I have bought is a couple of dummies, some nappies and a sleep suit. Yes consumables like wipes and nappies you cannot get away from, everything else you spend as much as *YOU* need.
My girlfriend goes back to work in 8 weeks time, 3 days a week and we have found a nursery around the corner, the government will give you 70% of child care costs (upto max £135 per week) and get those tax credit application forms in as well, it is means tested but you maybe surprised that even on reasonable salaries you are still entitled to some money.
Good luck mate
Gary
24 April 2003, 03:24 PM
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cheers gary, ive got 7 uncles & between me & her weve got no less than 23 1st cousins/brothers/sisters/inc brother/sister inlaws, that before we count the parents, grandparents & close friends. we have several toddlers in that circle too so stuff shouldnt be hard to get, moneywise we are okish & have some savings too. now comes the stress of making sure she is healthy & the baby etc is healthy too.
24 April 2003, 03:41 PM
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@Bout £17,000 per year I think I read recently. Having got two of my own ages 24 & almost 22 (years ), they cost as much as you want to pay. The biggest cost is in time and effort. And you can't put a price on the love you will lavish on them. Money comes second to all this. Good Luck !
